Patter from Patti

Newest workshop project

When I was invited to teach at the Bernina Center in Prague, Czech Republic last year Bohdana asked me to teach from my book "Creative Cloth Doll Couture".  They chose Golendrial as the project.  I had sold the doll I made for the book, so made another one.  In doing so, I fell in love with the project all over again.

She's a bit different from the doll in the book, but uses most of the same techniques.  I've been hooked on working with silk cocoons, so have added a cocoon purse, rather than the velvet one in the book.

You'll notice some sparkly things on her wings.  Those are mica-chips from Stewart Gill.  I love them.  And, you will also note she has a bit of an "Avatar" look to her.  Long neck and spotted skin.  I've found a wonderful batik fabric by Kaufman that is lightly spotted and comes in beautiful skin colors.

I'll be teaching Golendrial July 15-17, 2010 here in our home.  During the 3-day workshop we'll be able to finish her.  Those who sign up will receive the body fabric before hand with some pre-work.  During class we'll wire the body, fill up the body around the wire armature, finish the hands, draw, sculpt and color the face, dye the silk, paint various parts, create the wings, do the simple beadwork and make her fun shoes.

Lunch is included in the workshop, too, along with nearly all the supplies.  The only thing people will have to bring is the body parts sewn per the pre-work instructions, and a basic sewing kit.  Oh, and a sewing machine, but I do have 5 Bernina's to share.

If interested, email me.  I'll send you the details.

Cruise doll

This week I've been working on the doll I'll be teaching on the doll cruise in February 2011.  Normally I wait to do her hair after she's finished, but I couldn't wait.  I bought the red trim, that is actually upholstery trim, at Making Ends Meet in Shelbyville, KY last week.  I had to see how it looked, then plopped a funky doll hat on her to see how Ms. Maddie Hatter will look once she's finished.

I tried making her look a bit "mad" with her bright, green eyes, but she looks like a Patti Culea doll.  Nothing I can do about that.  I simply have a look that is all mine.

On the cruise I'll be teaching her face, embellishments, hair and hats.  Since she's a "hatter" she'll have to have quite an assortment of hats.  I'll have heaps of supplies for various types of hats. 

The cruise is February 25-March 7, 2011.  It leaves from Ft. Lauderdale and cruises to some exciting destinations.  More on that at another time.

While in Kentucky several people at Annie Hesse's Magic Mischief and Mayhem brought dolls they had made from my books.  This is Jayne with the mermaid from my Creative Cloth Doll Beading book.  Jayne's doll is absolutely fabulous. 

Click on the photo and it will take you to a larger image.  Do check out all the beadwork on Jayne's doll. 

The doll to the right is by Debbie.  It is a variation from my first book, Creative Cloth Doll Making.  I love the way Debbie used various fabrics.  And the hair is really fun.  Again, click on the photo and you'll get a larger image.

Cute frog, too.

This is Annie Hesse.  The creator of Magic Mischief and Mayhem.  She does these fabulous doll retreats twice a year.  I highly recommend them.

http://www.anniedolls.com

By the way, the apron Annie is wearing was done by Pam Grose.  Pam creates amazing dolls and lives in Western Australia.  She has taught at MM&M in the past.  Hope she comes back to the U.S. soon.

That's the latest, for now.  I'll be posting more pictures of the cruise doll as she gets finished.

Silk Cocoons

Today I dyed about 40 silk cocoons.  I'll be teaching a class in Shelbyville, KY in which we'll use the cocoons.  Instead of taking time to dye them in class, I decided to dye them for everyone.

I almost ruined the yellow and orange ones in the container above the ice-cube tray full of cocoons.  I used a microwave dye.  I had placed a test group of cocoons in the microwave and when the time was up the cocoons had opened and were hard and fried looking.  Thank goodness I stopped the microwave that the yellow ones were in before they got ruined.  So, those of you who dye cocoons don't use the microwave dyes.

The ice-cube tray is full of cocoons dyed with Dye Na Flow by Rupert Gibbon & Spider, and SetaSilk by Pebeo.  I prefer the Dye Na Flow.  You can't really see in the photo, but the SetaSilk dulled the cocoons.  The Dye Na Flow left them beautiful.

I still prefer dyeing silk with Procion MX dyes mixed with non-iodized salt.  But, Dye Na Flow does just as good a job. 

The photo to the right shows cocoons dyed with two types of dyes, and how I use them.

From left to right, at the top - Dye Na Flow, Procion, Procion.  The bottom are both dyed with Dye Na Flow.

The cocoons in the center (red and green) are two cocoons put together then embellished.  I will use this cocoon as an embellishment on a purse.

I'm being drawn towards farming silk worms.  Just need to plant a mulberry tree first.